Jennifer Brown/The Star-LedgerFlames burn fields of dry grasses surrounding the Izod Center and several industrial complexes in Carlstadt last week. Major rains may decrease the fire risks for some areas, through grass and ground across New Jersey is still very parched, experts say.

A major rainstorm has its sights set on New Jersey for the second half of the weekend, and could go a long way towards alleviating the state’s drought conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

Between 2 and 4 inches of rain are expected to fall by Monday morning, when a slow moving coastal storm is expected to move out of the area after lurching across the state Sunday. Jim Hayes, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office, said rain is expected to begin early during the day Sunday and continue into Sunday night before dissipating overnight Monday morning.

After what has been an extremely dry start to 2012, Hayes said the storm is just what the state needs.

“This will go a long way to help us get back to where we need to be but it won’t get us all the way there,” he said. “But it will be a very good start.”

The heaviest rains are expected to fall Sunday afternoon and evening. Should rain totals eclipse the 4-inch mark, flooding could be a concern, but Hayes said it is not likely to be a major concern because New Jersey has been so dry.

“Should we hit the upper end of those totals (flooding) may become a bit more of a threat, but we’re not sure how widespread that’s going to be at this point,” he said.

Out ahead of the steadier rains, New Jersey has an outside threat of thunderstorms this afternoon as a cold front pushes its way across Pennsylvania towards the Garden State.